Monthly Archives: February 2022

If ever proof is needed that music is the universal language, you need to look no further than how this weekends Rock the Universe music festival pulled people together during these extraordinarily difficult times, uniting them spiritually and musically, leading many to raise their hands in the air and shed tears of joy in celebration. Thousands of families along with countless youth groups from across the nation gathered at what has now become an annual go-to destination for the largest Christian music festival in Florida. For more than 34 years, Disney held a similar event at the Magic Kingdom but a few years ago decided to pull the plug on the event, making Rock the Universe at Universal Orlando Resort the only Florida event of its kind. Those who had tickets to the after-hours event that took place from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. got to experience an all-night music and thrill-ride experience at the annual two-day event at Universal Music Plaza Stage, featuring some of the biggest names in Christian music, including for KING & COUNTRY, Casting Crowns, Crowder, Matthew West, Rhett Walker, Jordan Feliz, Riley Clemmons, Zach Williams, Big Daddy Weave, We the Kingdom, Cory Asbury of Bethel Music, and other bands that performed on three separate stages scattered across the theme park grounds for two nights of unforgettable performances.

While the name of the festival is Rock the Universe, the festivals music lineup was comprised of a diverse set of genres that included everything from pop and country to folk, hip hop, and rock, all sharing a common Christian message that filled those who attended with hope, faith, and fun. On opening night on Friday, temperatures dipped into the low 50s, quite unusual for Orlando and Florida in general, but a jam-packed crowd of more than 8,000 relentless music lovers endured the coldest temps of the year while waiting patiently for the opening night headliner.

Southern/country rocker Rhett Walker made a reappearance at Rock the Universe. This highly talented singer/songwriter didnt disappoint and has what it takes to play country, Southern rock, or whatever genre he wants. A highly underrated artist who needs to be kept on your radar, Walker performed a memorable show, and one of the highlights of his performance was singing a duet with his 17-year-old daughter.

Rock the Universe favorite folk rocker Crowder returned to Orlando for his second time, his first during pre-pandemic 2019. The Waco-based Crowder got the audience moving and waving their hands in the air while performing crowd pleasers Run Devil Run and I Know a Ghost among others while priming the crowd for headliners for KING & COUNTRY.

After incredible performances by Walker and Crowder, the stage lights dipped at exactly 11 p.m., setting the stage for Rock the Universe veteran headliners to rock the freezing fans. Australian-born pop duo for KING & COUNTRY quickly warmed up the crowd by delivering a high-energy performance that kept fans of the Christian alternative rockers dancing and singing along to every word of their nearly two-hour set.

The now Nashville-based four-time Grammy Award winning brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone known as for KING & COUNTRY are widely recognized for their magnificent stage productions that include outstanding set design, heavy drums, and a terrific light show. They opened the night by appearing on stage in separate elevators as the duo slowly descended as they got into their first tune. The duo continued with a non-stop run of their very best songs including Relate and For God is with Us, two recently released singles that are quickly climbing the charts and both from their soon-to-be-released fifth studio album What are We Waiting For? They continued through fan-favorites God Only Knows, Joy, and Burn The Ships among the many tunes they performed along with the other six band members of for KING & COUNTRY.

On night two, Saturday was by far the coldest night of the event that had festival-goers bundled up with scarves and gloves in thirty-two degree weather. Undeterred, the cold weather wouldnt dampen the spirits of those who came for a second night of rides that included Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Transformers 4D: The Ride, Race through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, Fast and the Furious Ride, Woody Woodpecker Nuthouse Coaster, E.T. Adventure, The Simpsons Ride, Kang & Kudos Twirl n Hurl, Men In Black Alien Attack and Hogwarts Express. If the rides alone didnt keep you entertained, the music sure did. Whether you wanted a more intimate experience with your favorite bands who performed on the smaller stages or the huge concert experience taking place at Universal Music Plaza Stage, there was a buzz in the air as kids from nearly every corner of America gathered with friends or perhaps made some new ones, these new friends and memories will remain long after the road trip back home and return to normal life. For the final night of Rock the Universe there was plenty of good music to be enjoyed despite the freezing temperatures. Perhaps the biggest decision to be made was whether to ride the rides or catch a set of music; clearly, the music was the choice of many, and there were overlaps with three stages working.

On the Universal Music Plaza Stage, Florida-born Christian rocker Zach Williams performed several of his most recognized chart-topping hits, including Rescue Story and Less Like Me, both from his second studio album Rescue Story released in 2019. The stage setup featured church-type stained glass windows that served as a backdrop to the bands incredibly melodic sound that kept fans on their feet and moving hands in the air from side to side during the 75-minute set.

With fans crowding and packing tightly into every inch of the concert grounds at the plaza stage, a buzz filled the chilled air as fans welcomed back one of the regular performers at Rock the Universe, Casting Crowns, led by Mark Hall, who is a pastor when not performing and used to attend RTU with his youth group before making a name for himself in the music world. Casting Crowns now travels the world performing to sold out shows regularly. The band is comprised of part family, part youth group and together they create the bands hard-hitting tunes that have won several awards, including both Grammy and Dove awards. Serving as the headlining band on the final night of Rock the Universe, they immediately engaged the crowd with an inspired message of hope that its never too late for greatness before getting into the bands very best tunes that included Nobody, Only Jesus, One Step Away, and Scars in Heaven among other notable songs. Casting Crowns doesnt rely on special lighting or stage props; what they deliver is music that comes from the heart; it is pure emotion and music that you would most likely sing along to in church on Sunday morning.

It was no surprise that when you get two extraordinary talents like for KING & COUNTY and Casting Crowns along with a dozen other talented performers on one incredible weekend that the atmosphere was going to be something truly special. What can we expect for next year? Perhaps better weather, but one thing is for sure, many are already making plans for next years Rock the Universe 2023.

See the original post:

Rock The Universe Delivers A Spirited Weekend Experience MUSICFESTNEWS - Music Fest News

After making long-long duos, finally, the second new season for the Sex/Life series is said to arrive soon on Netflix screens. But, before talking about the second new season, lets start with an introduction to the series for all the ones living under a rock all these days.

The sex/Life franchise has been standing as one of the biggest Netflix blockbusters for 2021. Well, it doesnt need any complex math to find the logic behind its success.

The American romantic franchise, which is mainly based on sensual pieces of stuff, makes its primary focus on the suburban mother of two who had taken a fantasy-charged trip all the way memory lane, and the trip becomes a new reason to bring a conflict in her married Life and with her wild past.

The sex/Life whole franchise has got its adaptation from BB Eastons novel 44 Chapters About 4 Men, which makes the series include elements from 50 Shades of Grey and evens 365 Days appear harmless in contrast. So, now you might have got a better picture of the Sex/Life is all about. Lets directly jump in and exchange more updates for the second new season for the Sex/Life franchise.

As good news, yes, immediately, Netflix gave a new renewal for thesecond new season for Sex/Life back in August 2021itself. But, this stands out as a no surprise to all of us looking at the sudden renewal! All thanks to all the fans who showed so much excitement for new episodes and supported the whole franchise all through its airing.

As per Netflixs track on hourly watch time data, the Sex/Life franchise enumerates 282,100,000 million hours and made Sex/Life take the position for being in the top ten for the list of global Netflix list.

Sex/Life stands in the third position for being the most-watched Netflix Original series for 2021. The series also got its higher position for being the most-watched English Original series for the year. The record has been taken since enumerating from its first season release on 24th June last year.

As of now, we can assure you that Netflix has added Sex/Life Season 2 to its production chart and for its release. But, talking about the 2022 release. We have many reports claiming that the production is still yet to start, which gives us a big question mark about the 2022 release for Sex/Life Season 2.

But, as a relief, the starting date for the production has been confirmed by Netflix, which is slated to be from 7th February, and many rumours claim that the product will be brought under-wrapped by the end of April this year.

However, the official release date is yet to be confirmed by Netflix. Maybe, as the production begins, we will get to see Netflix coming up for a release date and trailer as well. So, lets just be holding back and show patience.

Lets go with it again! Alongside the release, even the appearing casting members for season 2 hold back as a mystery to us. But, lets overthink, but we do expect that the casting would remain the same from the first previous season, as they all have to support the plotline further from where the plot left off from the first season.

Considering this, we will see Billie, our main heroine, divided and left in confusion between two men playing a crucial role in her Life here, one man is from her past, and another man is from the present.

Brad, the man from her past and her former husbands character role, has been taken by Adam Demos, Cooper, who appears as her current spouse, and Mike Vogel has taken up this characters role.

Margaret Odette will be casting as Billies best friend, named Sasha. Sasha is another essential character for the series as she is Billies best friend and supports Billie as a conduit to help her express her mixed thoughts about her marriage.

Sasha has been staying single and is living a sort of Life alongside Billies desires. She has been spending most of her time in the series, somehow persuading Billie to quit jeopardizing her marriage and to come out of her past.

Hey hey! Lets not forget Cooper, who has been taking all of his wifes misgivings; Cooper found himself confronting himself to leave his marriage when his boss, Francesca, whose role was taken up by Li Jun Li, discloses her emotions and feelings she has for him. This gave us a good hint about them getting together in the future in the first season. So, maybe we can expect Francesca to play an essential role in Coopers Life.

Lets connect the dots from season 1. In the first season, we got to see Billie, who seems to have taken her final decision about whether she wants to give herself another chance to make her marriage thing work.

But, with more episodes coming, we even saw Brad, who had gained a feeling for her, and in no time, he even revealed his love and feelings for her and his desire to marry Billie. But Billie declined Brads proposal straight up as she didnt want to lose her family, which she had formed.

Although slowly even Billie finds only her family life isnt enough for her Life, she also gains desires for the adventurous sex life with Brad. So, by leaving her childrens performance, Billie approaches Brad and reveals to him that she still doesnt want to leave her husband, but the twist comes when she reveals her sexual attraction towards Brad and her desire to have sexual relations with him.

With a total of eight episodes being aired showing Billie, who is agonizing over her decision, it does bring a lot of confusion and twists about whom she will be choosing among these two men in her Life. As we mentioned above, we will also get to see Coopers life changed with the second season as his boss, Francesca, reveals her feelings for him.

With no production being started yet! The trailer for Sex/Life Season 2 is still a thing to wait for. So, we will have to wait a little longer to see the trailer coming to the screens. We will get updates as the trailer gets official.

The first season for the series came up with eight episodes. So, we will probably get to see more than eight episodes being added for the second season. Maybe, the number of episodes can be increased, but it wont be decreased.

Until now, Netflix has given its renewal for the second season only. So, maybe after the aring for the second season, we will see the renewal happening for the third season, but yes, as the series is so popular on Netflix, the chances for the season is high.

See original here:

Sex/Life Season 2: Will Netflix Release It In 2022 Or Not? - Gizmo Story

A nine-year-old Vicky Persinger, far right, tells the members of the 2002 Alaska junior men's curling team (from left, Leo Johnson, Colin Hufman, Martin Sather, Chris Benshoof and Steven Birklid) how they've inspired her during an event at the Fairbanks Curling Club in March 2002. (Persinger family photo)

The speakers in the minivan bumped Ludacris Back seat, windows up as Colin Hufman reached to turn it up further. In the drivers seat, our long-suffering coach Bill Gryder navigated toward the Rochester Curling Club. Colin had a habit of spiking the volume during the raunchiest verses of the Dirty South rap we listened to on the way to and from our hotel, and Bill had long ago resigned himself to just letting it happen. It was early 2001, and the Alaska junior mens curling team was on its way to the semifinals at the national championships.

I was the teams alternate, the same spot on the team that Colin has this year on the U.S. Olympic squad as it seeks to defend its 2018 gold medal. What being the alternate meant for me, for practical purposes, was that I sat at the end of the ice sheet with a laptop, running the statistics software that tracked my teammates performance. If I played a game to spell someone who needed a break for a physical or mental reset, the decline in our overall skill was noticeable, even if I wasnt the one tracking it with CurlStat. This is not the case with Colin, who is just as capable as the other four members of our Olympic team, and who has a knack for providing a spark when his team needs one a fact Im sure contributed to his selection for the Olympics.

I started curling in seventh grade, at the urging of my English teacher. I felt like I had nothing to lose, having proven mediocre-to-poor at baseball, basketball, soccer and wrestling. Also, my mother and her family are Canadians, and I wasnt cut out for hockey, so I figured it was the only way to honor their legacy on the ice. I was decent, but nowhere near as good as Colin or the other kids who had been curling since they were able to walk.

A young Vicky Persinger gives a Fairbanks Curling Club stone a shove circa 1997. (Persinger family photo)

Getting started right around when I did, though so small she couldnt yet throw a rock all the way down the 150-foot sheet, was Vicky Persinger, the scion of Fairbanks most prominent curling family. The Persingers are numerous, and nearly all of them are excellent curlers; friends have half-joked that the Fairbanks Curling Club should host a Persinger Spiel a tournament where each team that registers needs to include at least one Persinger. This would also solve an issue that often presents itself in Fairbanks curling spiels: If a teams members are all Persingers, theyre the odds-on favorites to blow everyone else off the ice.

[With world-class skill and hometown pride, a Fairbanks curler slides toward Beijing]

Our junior mens team took third place at nationals in 2001, though USA Curling somehow mailed me a runner-up medal a few months later (if anyone from USA Curling reads this, no, I will not send it back). The next year, I was in college out of state, but the rest of the team stayed together and won the junior national championship. In a testament to how small the curling world is, the team they beat in the championship match was helmed by John Shuster who is now the skip of our Olympic team.

It was the first, and so far only, time that Alaska had won a junior national championship. At the curling club reception after they returned, a 9-year-old Vicky Persinger told Colin and his teammates what their win meant to her how a kid from Fairbanks could grow up and win a national championship, maybe even win the Olympics. There was a spark lit in Vicky that day, and shes nurtured it ever since.

So how do you go from the Fairbanks Curling Club to the Beijing Olympics? The short answer: 20-plus years of hard, unrelenting work. Curling is a sport where just about anyone can be competitive, but its strategy can take decades to master and its heartbreaks are enough to drive all but the most resilient off the ice. Colin moved to the Lower 48 to be closer to his team members and competition at its highest level, which is concentrated in the upper Midwest for U.S. players. Vicky is the rarest of Alaskan Olympians, alongside folks like Lydia Jacoby those who compete at their sports highest level while still living in-state.

For more than a decade, Vicky has flown Outside for competitions and training with her team, working at a real estate title agency whose manager is also a curler and knows how much travel it takes to keep Olympic dreams alive. When her family could, they would go to bonspiels to cheer Vicky on, sometimes leaving me in charge of their chocolate lab Cocoa.

Vicky came tantalizingly close to making the Olympics once before in 2017, when her team made the final at the U.S. trials, only to lose on the final shot. It was a devastating loss, shes said since, but one that was liberating in its own way: Once youve been that close and lost, you feel like youve taken the worst the sport can throw at you, and youre less inclined to go on tilt when things start falling apart. She kept that lesson with her at the qualifying tournament for the Olympics, where in the final game she rebounded from a couple of bad misses to close out the win that sent her and teammate Chris Plys to Beijing.

Despite their massive growth as curlers, both Vicky and Colin are very much the same people they were when we played together as kids. Colin is a goofy, earnest class clown with a shocking amount of directness and emotional intelligence. Vicky is an intensely focused, gracious teammate and competitor whos so considerate she didnt even celebrate on the ice after winning the final game of the qualifying tournament and finally realizing her dream of going to the Olympics she remembered all too well what it felt like to be in the losing teams shoes. The emotional weight of the game only became apparent when she ducked behind the scoreboard, where the cameras couldnt see her, and let loose a ragged, relieved sob.

Vicky Persinger opens mixed doubles curling play at the Olympics Wednesday with matches against Australia at 3 a.m. and Italy at 4 p.m. Alaska time. Colin Hufman and the U.S. mens curling team begin round-robin play Feb. 9 against Russia.

Tom Hewitt is the ADNs opinion editor and a halfway (but only halfway) decent curler.

The views expressed here are the writers and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.

Original post:

I used to curl with Alaska's Olympians. Here's what I'll be thinking about as I watch them compete in Beijing. - Anchorage Daily News

Future Stars continues to cast a well-deserved spotlight on talented young Northwest suburban solo artists and bands. The upcoming performance - the third Future Stars event since it was established in the fall of 2021 - will take place on Durty Nellie's main stage Sunday, Feb. 20 from 4-7 p.m. Tickets are limited, and on sale now at http://www.FutureStars.Live.

Singer Sara Bella will kick off the event, followed by a performance from Jagger, also a solo artist/singer - with the band David's House rounding out the event as the headliner. Jagger is a newcomer to the Future Stars family, while Sara Bella provided an impressive and beautiful 'sneak peek' performance at the November Future Stars event that immediately engaged the audience. David's House, a band with eight talented members, opened at the November event and was invited back to be the headliner due to their high-energy, crowd-pleasing performance! (Please see performer bios below).

Over the last few months, Jason Stallard, Future Stars' co-founder and co-emcee has noted the maturity of the young performers, which have included the bands Voodoo Dolls, Kung Fu Sleepover, Collision and David's House, along with solo artist, Sara Bella.

"They've really impressed us all with how they carry themselves, and with the intensity in which they focus on growing and improving their talents while on stage," he said. Stallard is also the founder of Love Local Off 53, a community-building brand that highlights Northwest suburban businesses/organizations through videos and podcasts.

Future Stars co-founder and co-emcee Melanie Santostefano is excited for the future of Future Stars.

"Jason and I see this as an amazing start where we can grow this event and allow it to evolve as we continually meet new young entertainers. We, along with our audiences, have been wowed by the talent these young people bring to the stage," she said. "We believe they can absolutely go places with their music if they choose to, and we are there to help highlight them and their talents."

SUBMIT YOUR DEMO: Future Stars is seeking demo submissions for the March 27 event; the deadline is Feb. 15. Singers or bands (up to age 18/senior in high school) are invited to apply, and all potential acts go through a vetting process in order to be invited to perform at Future Stars. Entertainers can be invited back to subsequent events based on overall performance and crowd response. The goal of Future Stars is to provide professional promotion, marketing and public relations, along with a stage and enthusiastic audience, to help these entertainers grow musically and gain experience through live performances. Learn more, check out a gallery of images from previous events, and view video about the evolution of Future Stars at http://www.FutureStars.Live.

BIOS FOR SOLO ARTISTS AND THE BAND

Sara Bella is a multi-talented singer/songwriter and musician. At the age of 5, she began playing piano and singing, and has trained in styles ranging from musical theatre to opera and rock; her dynamic range of 4 octaves impressed all who see her perform. At the age of 14, she was chosen to be on The Voice Kids in her home country of Albania and advanced far into the competition, singing for 150,000 people on national TV. She has trained with various award-winning performers and has performed in a range of musicals and singing showcases, winning multiple awards. Sara Bella is also a self-taught guitar, and ukulele player, and writes/produces her own music. Her goals are to touch and impact people through music. Find her on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Jagger is a velvety singer with deep roots with a style reminiscent of 1970s, with a tone and approach uniquely her own. Accolades include being a three-time School of Rock All-Star, and a Rock On Palatine Singing Contest and Arlington's Got Talent winner. Jagger has written a series of songs with Grammy nominated songwriters and turned them into what are described as magical productions. Her approach brings a soft, calming nature with nuances that lift the listener's ear to another realm. Being lost in the music is easy to do when listening to her recently release song, "I Go Crazy" which evokes ethereal feelings, and provides soft, yet expressive vocals with lyrics that are hard to forget. Find her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

David's House is made up of eight young stars in the making who've played at several popular, local music venues including Hideaway Brew Garden, Penny Road Pub, Durty Nellies and Madcats! All band members bring a contagious energy to their music and are seasoned performers with several years of on-stage experience at School of Rock. Band members range in age from 15-18 and include: Andrew (keyboards), Caden (percussion), Christian (guitar), Jaime (vocals), Lauren (vocals), Nina (bass) and Sammy (guitar). Get ready to enjoy this infectious, high-energy rock/funk bank as they cover favorites from Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Heart, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles and more. Find the band Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon music and other streaming platforms. Visit davidshousetheband.com/ to learn more.

Read more:

Future Stars is back Feb. 20th with new talent and crowd favorites! - Chicago Daily Herald

I am an avowed supporter of Valentines Day not because I have a particularly rosy-eyed view of love and friendships, although I am also pro those things. It is 95 percent because of the candy, specifically chocolate.

I enjoy eating chocolate all year round, but on Valentines Day, it deservedly takes pride of place, conversation hearts and flower arrangements notwithstanding. And Valentines Day, unlike the other festive occasions where chocolate is a mere background player, is the time to request and give really fancy chocolate, the kind of chocolate that immediately telegraphs luxury and decadence. Theres nothing that fits that bill quite like bonbons.

Traditionally, bonbons are made with molds and contain a wide variety of fillings, from fruits and nuts to caramel and marzipans (unlike truffles, which generally contain ganache). They are a canvas for a chocolatiers creativity both on the inside and on the chocolate shelled exteriors, which are often painted to resemble glistening gemstones. While any box of chocolates can make for a fine romantic gesture or clichd apology, bonbons are always a celebration. Here, a list of confectioners from across the country to prove my point (they all ship nationwide).

This is the place that convinced me theres absolutely nothing wrong with sitting around and eating bonbons all day. In fact, its a delightful thing to do. At the New York City shop, Susanna Yoon manages to pack all the flavors of other elaborate desserts like calamansi meringue pie or black forest cake into a beautiful package. You cant select individual flavors when you order to ship online, but trust, they wont disappoint.

New Jersey-based Vesta Chocolate is a bean-to-bonbon chocolate factory, meaning chocolatiers Roger Rodriguez and Julia Choi Rodriguez start the chocolate-making process with whole cacao beans which they then process to form the basis of confections ranging from hot chocolate to bars to bonbons. Those bonbons are available to ship in boxes of six or 12 surprise flavors, but all of them are gluten- and nut-free.

In Miami, bean-to-bonbon Exquisito Chocolates prides itself on ethical sourcing. You can see exactly how chocolate maker Carolina Quijano turns cacao into chocolate on this episode of Eaters Handmade. And for Valentines Day, you can pre-order boxes of three or 32 bonbons in classic heart-shaped boxes.

Eater SF called Topotgato San Franciscos most audacious online chocolate shop. The hand-painted confections from pastry chef Simon Brown and designer Beau Monroe contain flavor combinations like pistachio marzipan with hibiscus jelly and pear jam with chamomile tea and a white wine ganache. Topogato also sells artwork by Monroe; this rosebud print would make a sweet addition to a Valentines Day gift of chocolates.

Elle Lei makes bonbons in small batches out of Chicago; they sell out fast. Sugoi partnered with fellow Chicago small business Aya Pastry on festive Halloween bonbons and is doing the same for Valentines Day. That collaboration is available for local pickup and delivery, but stay tuned for more options available directly from Sugoi, and in the meantime, peruse the usual offerings in flavors like beer pretzel, Chicago corn, and cotton candy pop rock, all decorated with bright pops of color.

Houston-based Cacao and Cardamom recognizes the jewel-like appeal of the bonbon, which here come in a variety of shapes, packaged in gold-lined boxes. As the shops name implies, spices take a starring role in chocolatier Annie Rupanis flavors: theres strawberry szechuan peppercorn, garam masala pistachio, five spice praline, and cardamom rose, just to name a few.

The Valentines Day offerings at Dallas-based chocolatier Kate Weiser combine my desire for quality, fancy chocolate with the gaudy Valentines Day imagery I unironically love. Just look at those pink hearts!

In Tucson, Monsoon Chocolate puts together boxes of bonbons that showcase a variety of aesthetic styles with flavors that reflect the southwestern setting, such as chiltepn pepper, prickly pear caramel, and Sonoran sea salt dark chocolate. Like Exquisito Chocolate and Vesta Chocolate, Monsoon is a bean-to-bar operation.

Atlanta-based Jard Chocolates is particularly well suited to the fruit lover. For Valentines Day, pastry chef Jocelyn Gragg is putting together a four-piece set of bonbons; flavors include liquid cherry cordial, pia colada, passionfruit and vanilla marshmallow, and a heart-shaped blood orange caramel.

At And Sons in Los Angeles, second-generation chocolate makers carry on the family tradition with elegant bonbons and other chocolate confections. If youre looking to give chocolate hearts for Valentines Day, look no further. In fact, And Sons makes a giant heart-shaped bonbon (giant, at three inches) filled with cinnamon hazelnut gianduja, salted vanilla caramel, and hazelnut praline, along with smaller heart-shaped bonbons.

Bon Bon Bons bonbons might not have the typical domed shape, but the flavors take full advantage of the anything-goes spirit of the bonbon. The Detroit shops Valentines Day collection is especially, um, spirited, including flavors with names like cherry pop (candied Luxardo cherry confiture, toasted poppy seed ganache, and dried Michigan cherries), family jewels (banana ganache, hazelnut praline ganache, hazelnut croquant, and pearl sugar), and S&M (strawberry and mascarpone). And while the Valentines Day pre-orders are sold out, mystery boxes-o-bons are available and likely just as fun.

Shopping intel and product picks for food lovers

Read the original:

The Best Valentine's Day Gift Is A Box of Bonbons - Eater

Experts at a business forecast event in Rogers on Friday gave their thoughts and predictions on the state of the world, nation and Arkansas economies nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic.

Amid inflation concerns and the omicron variant surge, economists remain cautiously optimistic about the road to recovery.

Juhi Dhawan, the senior managing director for Wellington Management, said she believes the current wave of the virus will peak in the coming months, and places like Europe and Asia will begin to recover as lockdowns ease and activity returns to normal.

"The world will become less divergent in 2022," she said. Vaccinations are the best tool to overcome the virus and the good news is that people are becoming more receptive to them, she said.

The University of Arkansas Business Forecast Luncheon, hosted by the Center for Business and Economic Research in Fayetteville, was held at the Rogers Convention Center. Attendees were required to wear masks.

Other factors affecting the global economy include less accommodating banks and fiscal policy as the Federal Reserve signals interest-rate increases in March, the evolution to more digital supply chains and the transition to renewable energies amid climate change. Meanwhile, the prices of everyday household items continue to rise.

[CORONAVIRUS: Click here for our complete coverage arkansasonline.com/coronavirus]

According to the personal consumption expenditures price index, the U.S. last recorded inflation levels this high in the early 1980s.

David Altig, executive vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, said about 70% of the items in the consumer market basket have increased more than 3% so far. Almost half of those items increased more than 5%, he said.

The Fed has said an acceptable target rate of inflation averages 2% over time. Between 2012 and 2020 when the pandemic hit, inflation was soft, begging the question: "Are we just making up for lost ground?" Altig said. "The answer is yeah, kind of."

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday predicted a strong labor market with low unemployment and increased wages.

Altig elaborated on Powell's comments, clarifying that the labor markets are improved but no broad sector has recovered from the pandemic. He said the jobs are there but they cannot be filled as workers retire or search for jobs that reduce the risk of contracting the virus. Many foreign workers that the country relied on went home during the pandemic and single mothers with young children left their jobs to take care of their children.

"Is this going to turn around soon?," Altig said. "It may change as covid conditions develop for the better."

A good sign for Arkansas is that a number of jobs lost because of the pandemic are coming back.

Nonfarm employment increased by 27,000 jobs last year, said Mervin Jebaraj, director of the Center for business and Economic Research in Fayetteville. However, the state lost some 38,000 jobs over the course of the past two years, resulting in a net decline of 11,000 jobs.

Of the jobs added last year, Jebaraj said most were in the professional business services, leisure and hospitality and manufacturing sectors, among others. A decline in jobs were seen in the construction and government sectors, in large part attributed to staff reductions at public schools.

According to state data, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro and Little Rock all recorded job gains over the last year, but net declines since 2020. Of the metropolitan areas in the state, Northwest Arkansas had the only increase in jobs since the pandemic.

Looking ahead, Jebaraj said he believes the coronavirus won't be completely gone this year. Small and large businesses alike will continue to be affected by the virus, he said.

The state's employment population ratio declined about 1.5% from 2020 to 2021. This happened for a number of reasons, Jebaraj said, including increased retirement rates, single mothers quitting their jobs and people getting sick or taking care of people who are sick. Workers are also leaving jobs at smaller businesses for higher paying jobs at larger companies or to start their own companies. He said the number of business applications has surged in the past year.

Overall, Jebaraj had a pretty positive outlook on the economy of Arkansas.

"Hopefully there isn't another variant or surge, and if there is, hold on to those masks," he said.

The event, which draws more than 1,000 people each year, was sponsored and made possible in part by Walmart and Sam's Club, Greenwood Gearhart financial advisers and RMP law firm, Cox Communications, Regions Bank and other business partners.

See more here:

Experts express views on recovery - Arkansas Online

Radio listening remained fairly static for Q4, 2021 but some stations enjoyed bigger gains than others.

And although weve now got some comparable data this quarter, most stations report yearly or half-yearly rather than quarterly so please be aware of this as we present the figures against those of three months earlier.

Here are the main headlines weve found in the latest data for Q4, 2021:

Heres how the top 5 commercial stations in London looks, in terms of weekly reach:

Interestingly, LBC has taken over Magic in terms of number of listeners. LBC has a market share of 8% and 16m, making it the biggest in London in terms of share and hours once again.

If you spot any other major spikes up or down, email news@radiotoday.co.uk.

Quotes

Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, said: Im delighted that millions of people choose to start their day with our most popular music breakfast shows and their brilliant hosts Greg and Zoe, who continue to entertain and amuse listeners as they go about their morning routines. And congratulations to Rick and Rachel whose new Radio 5 Live breakfast show seems to be a hit with audiences!

These figures show the important role that BBC Radio plays in peoples lives, with 34.5m tuning in to listen live each week to our much loved stations. We also continue to see on-demand listening grow for both our radio programmes and podcasts, as audiences come to BBC Sounds to discover content to listen to whenever they want to.

Ashley Tabor-King OBE, Founder & Executive President of Global, said: With RAJAR now fully back with enhanced measurement, Im delighted this has translated into record audiences for our brands and shows. To not only hold our position as the leading commercial radio group, but to continue to grow is incredible and down to our brilliant teams and globallers. Its a great privilege to know that millions are turning to us for news and analysis, feel good entertainment, hit music, relaxation, whatever it may be, and its a responsibility we dont take lightly. What lies ahead this year is incredibly exciting as Classic FM celebrates 30 years on air, Andrew Marr joins the LBC family and we see the return of live events. As always, well keep innovating at Global and building out our brands.

James Rea, Director of Broadcasting & Content at Global, said: Im immensely proud of the Global team for achieving our best ever figures. The fact that our brands have continued to grow in these challenging times is testament to the skill of those delivering world class content. From Capital Dance doubling its audience, to Radio X leaping over 2 million listeners and LBC achieving its highest ever figures, through to Smooth with a record- breaking 6 million listeners Im delighted that commercial radio continues to play such a vital role in peoples lives each day.

Dee Ford CBE, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Audio UK said I am so proud that we have actively encouraged digital listening through delivering world class content that our listeners can access however they want. Three quarters of our audience now listen via a digital device this market leading performance sets us up perfectly for the future.

Ben Cooper, Chief Content and Music Officer, Bauer Media Audio UK said Rock fans have done us proud giving us record figures for Planet Rock, Absolute Classic Rock and amazing hours on Kerrang! we salute you. Absolute Radio also broke records with over 5million listeners including, for the first time, over a million tuning in to Absolute Radio 90s. Simon Mayo took Greatest Hits Radio from strength to strength as the successful move to FM in London continued to drive huge increases. And KISS anticipated its listeners changing lifestyle as Jordan and Perris new start time on Breakfast grew audiences to over a million.

News UK Broadcasting CEO, Scott Taunton said: Another round of record results for News UK Broadcastings national radio stations is testament to the brilliant work of our teams, delivering best-in-class radio to millions every week. talkSPORTs superb GameDay coverage, coupled with a wide range of sports rights means the network has secured itself as the destination for live sport on the radio. Virgin Radio UK home to both Chris Evans and Graham Norton delivered record listening hours.

Times Radio is undoubtedly the unrivalled home of high quality news and current affairs. Our highly-engaged listeners are listening for longer; and with 71% ABC1 make up, Times Radio offers an unparalleled route to reach a high value and hard-to reach-audience. Meanwhile talkRADIO continues to drive both record reach & listening hours and innovation; gaining more and more viewers across its growing video platforms. With TalkTV coming this spring, we will continue to innovate, driving consumer choice across the UK and introducing a new voice in news and current affairs, led by the inimitable Piers Morgan.

Aled Haydn Jones, Head of BBC Radio 1, said: The Radio 1 Breakfast Show has such a strong connection with young people across the country, were so pleased to see an increase in listeners enjoying Greg and the team. The stability of Radio 1s figures is encouraging, along with further increases across YouTube, iPlayer and socials, clearly indicating how important the station is for our audience.

David Hamilton at Boom Radio, said: Clearly, Baby Boomers are united in their love for what we are providing. Weve been able to create a successful national radio station that smashes predictions and tops the growth tables in less than one year, on a virtual shoestring compared to our BBC rival Radio 2 and other national stations.

We launched to speak directly to the growing discontent felt among the Baby Boomer generation an audience on which the BBC has turned its back and the results speak for themselves. Outside RAJAR, our own listener polls tell us almost three quarters of our listeners are former R2 stalwarts who are listening less to the BBC.

Dick Stone, Group Content Manager for JACK Media, commented: While were still feeling the impact of the pandemic and having seen an interesting shift in radio consumption patterns, were delighted to be able to now provide tangible figures that demonstrate strong growth across our national radio brands, which are reaching almost a quarter of a million listeners each week.

Having been without full figures to demonstrate the impact of our national portfolio for a while, we can now stand loud and proud in saying that listeners are clearly enjoying our mix of British-only music and comedy, and we have exciting plans in place to keep delivering great radio for them to continue to enjoy.

To see our RAJAR Graphs visit RadioToday.co.uk/rajar and see all the latest RAJAR news here.

Read the rest here:

Around the radio stations facts and figures for RAJAR Q4 2021 - Radio Today

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) says it supports the call for a moratorium on military exercises within Irelands Exclusive Economic Zone.

Both the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation (IS&WFPO) and the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association (IFPEA) have appealed for the Government to introduce a 10-year halt on any future manoeuvres within the area, according to The Skipper.

It follows Russias decision, as a gesture of goodwill, to relocate live-fire drills that had been planned for this week in international waters but within the Irish EEZ, some 240km off the Cork coast.

The outcome was hailed as a victory for diplomacy on the part of Irelands fishing industry, with the EU fisheries commissioner paying tribute at the weekend.

There had been fears of confrontation between Irish trawlers and Russian naval vessels in the Atlantic as long-standing fishing grounds on the continental shelf adjoin the area previously earmarked for the military exercises.

I think the Russian have set a precedent nowthat we need to bring in a 10-year moratorium to stop all military exercises in the Irish EEZ, IFPEA chief executive Brendan Byrne told Highland Radio.

We cant bring in an outright ban [due to international law] but we have have the rightto bring in the moratorium based on the eco-sensitivity of the area, based on the biological importance of it to [the] sea fishery which is mackerel, in this case, or nephrops and the entire environmental argument, notwithstanding the displacement of fishing.

The IWDG said it supports fishers right to work without feeling threatened by military exercises and that additionally such a moratorium would also greatly reduce the threat these exercises pose to whales and dolphins.

It added: While on this occasion the Russian navy notified the State of their intentions, UK and NATO vessels regularly carry out naval exercises within the Irish EEZ.

They have also been known to use active sonar within the Irish EEZ and such events have been linked to the mass mortality of deep-diving whale species in Irish waters, most recently in 2018 with an unusual mortality event of Cuviers beaked whales in Ireland and Scotland.

Mass strandings and inshore sightings of northern bottlenose whales and Sowerbys beaked whales, which occurred in 2020, may also have been linked to naval activity.

In light of this, the IWDG is proposing four additional Marine Protected Areas for deep-diving cetaceans along the slopes of the Rockall Canyon, Porcupine Seabight and Whittard Canyon System.

The marine wildlife charity also expressed its fears that the Northeast Atlantic has become a global hotspot for beaked whale strandings, which appear to be increasing in both magnitude and frequency.

It adds: Given the vulnerability of beaked whales to underwater noise, supported by significant advances in our understanding of the impacts of military sonar on these animals, it appears ever more likely that military sonars used in or adjacent to important beaked whale habitats are a significant factor in these mortalities.

Meanwhile, concerns remain among environmentalists for marine wildlife in the vicinity of wherever Russia moves its planned naval and air force drills.

Speaking to Claire Byrne on RT Radio 1s Today programme, Ken OSullivan, the documentary maker behind Irelands Deep Atlantic, said: Exploding bombs in the ocean is never a good thing to do, for many reasons.

RT Radio 1 has the full interview HERE.

Read the rest here:

IWDG Supports Fishing Industry's Call for 10-Year Moratorium on Military Exercises in Irish EEZ - Afloat

When DerRic Starlight learned the reboot of one of his favourite childhood shows, Fraggle Rock, was starting production in Calgary in January 2021, you could say it was his destiny to work on it.

But you wouldn't know it givenhis first crack at a position.

"They got back to me and said, you know, the auditions for Fraggle Rock passed two weeks ago,"Starlight said.

To really understand Starlight's connection to the series, you have to start from the beginning.

Starlight was a small child at his grandmother's house on Tsuut'ina Nation, overlooking the city of Calgary.He was convinced Sesame Street wasin downtown Calgary.

"I used to ask my mother, 'Can we go downtown? Cookie Monster is down there, Big Bird and Bert and Ernie are down there!'" he recalled.

Starlight asked for puppets for Christmas when he was only three or four years old.

When he received the cast of The Muppet Show in puppet form, his grandmother would tell him to perform in front of their large family at special occasions.

"'Get up there and do your Muppet Show,'and I would do my own Muppet Show. That's how it all started,"Starlight said.

Growing up on the reserve in the 1980s, Starlight said his television schedule revolved around their three channels andthe CBC on Sunday evenings in particular.

"I think every Canadian will probably remember on the CBC,The Wonderful World of Disney would come on television, then The Muppet Show would air after that, then Fraggle Rock," Starlight said.

His passion for puppetry continued through school andhis teachers would ask him to do his shows for the class.

"I learned how to do, like, all the voices, down to a 'T' every single one of them,"Starlight said.

After attending Vancouver Film School, he made his own puppets and assigned unique characters to them.

Starlight said he made a name for himself as a comedian and puppeteer with Indigenous audiences.

"Jim Henson called his'The Muppets' because they're half marionettes and half puppets. Mine are 'nuppets'half native and half puppet,"Starlight said.

So, to get back to that "destiny" part the individualshiring for Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock researched Starlight's workand offered him a live audition and yes. He got the job.

He worked as a puppeteer on 13 new episodes of Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, all of which were produced at the Calgary Film Centre between January and June 2021.

"I poked a hole through a door for other Indigenous puppeteers saying, 'Hey, Idid this, now it's your turn,'"Starlight said.

As for Starlight's full circle moment?

"I can now tell my mothersee? I told you The Muppetswere in downtown Calgary."

Here is the original post:

Puppeteer born in Tsuut'ina Nation says work on Fraggle Rock reboot a dream come true - CBC.ca

Time on Rock: A Climbers Route into the Mountains

Anna Fleming

Canongate, pp. 272, 16.99

In her memoir Time on Rock, Anna Fleming charts her progress from terrified novice to competent leader as she scales rocky vertical routes with names such as the Inaccessible Pinnacle and the Savage Slit. There is poetry in the vocabulary of climbing, with its gritstone, gabbro and basalt and its slopers, artes, underclings, heel hooks and, my personal favourite, the thrutch a kind of hip wiggle that can get a climber out of a tight squeeze. There is nothing elegant in a thrutch, we are told.

One element of the book that distinguishes it from most climbing literature is its female perspective. Fleming initially compares herself unfavourably with her male counterparts: I saw their height and armspan and told myself that climbing was easier for men, since they generally have a longer reach. She admired the brawny masculine strength that could never be hers.

This changes when she observes two women climbers in Greece who seemed untroubled by their female bodies: they blazed up routes and moved fluently, using imaginative sequences to reach holds that lay beyond them. They had... exceptional technique. Watching them pull off move after move, Fleming realises that the female body is not a barrier to top-class climbing. But the masculine bias of the sport rears up in unexpected places. In Moray, a chunk of rocky Scottish coast north of the Cairngorms, Fleming is faced with climbing Thatchers Crack, Special Brew, Horny Beast, Legover Wall or Primitive Thoughts About Modern Girls.

Her fascination with language infuses her descriptions of the textures of various stones and the mountains they form. In this regard, Time on Rock can take its place next to Nan Shepherds The Living Mountain. Written in the 1940s, but only published in 1977, that book explores the authors intimate, passionate relationship with the Cairngorms. It is Shepherd who reminds Fleming to eschew the competitive, goal-oriented need to bag a mountain. Returning to her words again and again, Fleming writes:

I saw how one could go more openly into the hills, taking a wider perspective for a deeper experience. Influenced by eastern philosophy and Zen Buddhism, Shepherd sought to dissolve the ego and reach a state of oneness with the world.

A oneness Fleming reaches for in Time on Rock.

Perhaps because her eye is unwaveringly trained on climbing the tenuous footholds, the razor-sharp slits into which she winches her fingers, the mental acuity needed to avoid injury or death Fleming doesnt tackle environmental issues head on. During a climb in the Cairngorms in July 2018, she notes that there had been no rain for months:

Wildfires raged over tinder-dry peat bogs, fields, gorse thickets and forests. Across the Cairngorms, farmers and crofters were struggling. With so little water around, grass and crops grew slowly; some perished. To keep livestock going they turned to deep water sources, drawing on seldom used wells and reservoirs, hoping they wouldnt run dry.

Then she adds: While day after day of cloud-free skies created difficult conditions for many, some rejoiced.

The conditions she refers to are failed crops, soil erosion, dehydrated livestock and extreme drought. She carries on: Routes that normally seeped and oozed water had completely dried out. We expected rain to come and spoil our fun, but it never did. This slightly odd tonal shift (having fun in a deadly drought) raises a big question: how can we write joyfully about the landscape during this era of environmental devastation? With her focus firmly on rock, Fleming is able to tune out the disappearing snow on the Cairngorms and other worrying climatic shifts. She concentrates on the now, and invites us to think for ourselves about what may or may not be there for much longer.

Paradoxically for a book about ascending to great heights, Time on Rock comes most alive when Fleming digs deep into geology and history. At Dinorwig, a mountain of slate in Snowdonia, she reminds us of the ubiquity of this rock: All the rented terraces, flats, cottages and tenements of my twenties, almost every house I have lived in across the UK, has been roofed by slate. The men who mined it risked their lives by clambering deep inside mountains, and their hard labour has shaped this part of Wales. Fleming beautifully merges history with her own present:

Clinging to the rungs, my mind is with the quarrymen. Where my hands are now fingers wrapped tight around the sturdy, cold iron theirs must also have been countless times before. I think of the calloused textures of those hands transformed by so much exposure to rock, tools, ropes, chains and weather.

Flemings book is full of awe and wonder:

The self is poured into the stone, the rock flows through the body. In this state of being, boundaries loosen... A surface becomes an opening. Rocks gain depth, history and character.

The reader is encouraged to marvel at how the Earth can move us, and how we can move through its fragile and sometimes dangerous spaces as sentient beings:

From the rock face, where a climbing body plunges in and out of ancient matter, things feel different. Reaching into the core in these moments of searing intimacy the world reveals itself. Nothing is static. This place is an immense unfolding of dazzling vitality.

As vital as the book she has given us.

View post:

Scaling the heights: a woman's experience of mountain climbing - Spectator.co.uk